Steve Bruce is expected to be installed as Sunderland's new manager in the next 48 hours after Dave Whelan, Wigan Athletic's chairman, granted him formal permission to speak to the Wearside club today.

This suggested that, following 48 hours of negotiations, the clubs had agreed compensation for Bruce's services. Whelan had been demanding £5m, a sum Niall Quinn and Ellis Short, Sunderland's chairman and owner respectively, balked at during prolonged haggling yesterdayon Wednesday.

Disillusioned by being forced to sell his best players at the JJB Stadium, Bruce, a lifelong Newcastle United fan who was paid £45,000 a week by Whelan, is keen to join Sunderland. Whelan has lined up Roberto Martínez, the Swansea City manager and a former Wigan player, as Bruce's replacement.

Sunderland, though, perhaps anxious to conclude a deal on their terms, are taking time to commit and have done nothing to discourage speculation linking Slaven Bilic and Frank Rijkaard with their vacancy. "It's still not a one-horse race," said a club spokeswoman last night. Even so, it will be a major surprise if Bruce is not unveiled as Ricky Sbragia's successor.

Meanwhile Short, the club's reclusive new billionaire owner, has spoken for the first time since taking complete control at the Stadium of Light earlier this week. Talking to Sunderland's official website, the Irish-American financier, said he does not want a repeat of this season's struggles, which ended in the narrow avoidance of relegation.

"This summer we want to get this team into a place where we can finish in the top 10 [of the Premier League] next year," said Short. "I don't want to go through a relegation battle again and I don't want our fans to have to."

Short, who said he has lived mainly in the UK for some years now, explained that, although he had already become a football fan, he had never thought about investing in the game until he met Niall Quinn, Sunderland's chairman, at the Ryder Cup in 2006. Quinn duly sold a businessman who specialises in revitalising under-achieving concerns his vision of what Sunderland could become.

"It's a big proper football club," said Short, who bought out the previous owners, Drumaville. "With the best fans in the league, one of the best stadiums in the league and one of the best training facilities, it's got all the pieces in place to be a long-term success and a powerful club.

"With me coming in we can add some financial ability to make moves and we think that is the missing piece this club has lacked."